One of the best parts about being alive in the 21st century is how ubiquitous smart home technology has become in such a short period of time. It was only a few years ago that smart garage door remotes and controls were a fringe investment for the bourgeois, and now look at how many web-connected devices you can buy to raise and lower your garage door at home or on the go. Of course, not all smart garage door tech is created equal.
You’ll want to make sure the products you’re installing will allow you to automate your garage the way you want to. This could be something as simple as a button-pressing contraption or as complex as a Wi-Fi-connected gadget that ties in with your garage door and supports security cameras.
Regardless of your wants and needs, we thought it best to put together this roundup of the top smart garage door remotes and controllers you can order today.
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Best overallmeross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote
$28 $30 Save $2The Meross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote smartens most garage door openers by offering remote control via the Meross mobile app or voice control with Amazon’s Alexa or Samsung’s SmartThings. This opener is easy to install and compatible with many garage door openers. The best part? No subscription is necessary to access Meross’ features, including custom notifications and reminders to close your door.
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Premium pickTailwind IQ3
The Tailwind iQ3 is one of the smart garage door controllers you can find. It features an automatic door-opening function, which kicks the opener into action once your vehicle approaches. (It requires a smartphone, plus a vehicle with Bluetooth or an added-on vehicle sensor.) The Tailwind iQ3 is also compatible with all the popular smart home systems, including Alexa, HomeKit, Google Home and Assistant, SmartThings, and anything IFTTT.
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Best valueeKyro Smart Garage Door Opener Controller
eKyro’s Smart Garage Door Opener Controller is an easy-to-use and affordable way to enhance your garage’s intelligence without spending a fortune. A universal adapter ensures that this controller will suit just about any opener. Meanwhile, versatile smart assistant compatibility means you can control the opener, whether it’s Alexa, Google Home, or even Siri. And you can set schedules, remotely control the door, and set different user permissions without a subscription fee.
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Best app-controlled
myQ Chamberlain Smart Garage Control
$28 $30 Save $2The Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control is an excellent option for shoppers who want a familiar name in garage doors and a simple, user-friendly interface. MyQ controllers have been a longtime smart garage controller favorite for smart home fanatics, but this does have its limitations because it no longer offers smart home integrations, including Homebridge and Home Assistant. However, it’s still a perfectly viable option for control with the designated myQ app.
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Genie Aladdin Connect
The Genie ALKT1-R Aladdin Connect smartifies most garage door openers made after 1993, offering several intelligent features like garage door open and close schedules and alerts when the door is opened. You’ll also love that the included sensor attaches to the garage door so that users are notified even when the door is opened manually, independent of the garage opener. Purchase additional sensors to control up to three garage doors with the smart hub.
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Wyze Smart Garage Door Opener
The Wyze Smart Garage Door Controller is the way to go if extra garage security is required. The device opens and closes garage doors from anywhere with the Wyze app. The goings-on in your garage can also be viewed with HD video (thanks to the integrated Wyze Cam v3). Speak to visitors with two-way audio and receive notifications when the garage door is left open. This Wyze opener works with most existing openers and installs quickly.
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meross Smart Garage Door Remote with External Antenna
This meross system can raise and lower three single garage doors and can be controlled with smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. You’ll also get two door sensors in the box, and if you decide to purchase a third, all three can be linked to the included antenna. Just install the sensors, connect the antenna to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and you’ll be ready to start using this meross bundle.
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SwitchBot
The SwitchBot Bot is, simply put, a button pusher — a smart button pusher. This humble little gadget is an alternative to consider when other smart garage door controllers aren’t an option. It operates rocker switches or simple one-way buttons, like many garage door opener buttons. Without a smart hub, the Bot is only controlled with timers or the app within the device’s Bluetooth range. Add a SwitchBot Hub to unlock Alexa compatibility and other smart features.
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myQ Smart Garage Door Video Keypad
$47 $100 Save $53Much like a video doorbell, this myQ Smart Garage Door Video Keypad captures a 160-degree field of view, allowing you to see who’s been hanging around your garage door. You’ll also get 1080p HD video, HDR, night vision, instant notifications to your mobile devices, and 30 days of video history (if you sign up for a myQ Premium Plan). This keypad replaces the pad your garage door system came with and is compatible with brands like Chamberlain, LiftMaster, and Craftsman.
What are the most important features of a smart garage door remote?
Smart garage door openers may not be the fanciest Internet-of-Things gear on the market. Still, you should definitely make sure whatever tech you’re buying satisfies whatever criteria are essential to you and yours. When shopping for garage door tech, here are some critical features to look out for:
Performance and safety
Opening and closing is the core function of your smart garage door device, but you’ll also want to make sure the motor in charge of lifting and lowering (if you’re replacing this unit with a smart one) has enough power to operate even under the most extreme weather conditions.
You’ll also want to be on the lookout for failsafe features like infrared sensors that detect if an object is blocking your garage door, as well as features like auto-reverse, scheduled auto-closing, and the option to manually raise or lower the door should you lose electricity.
Smart home connectivity
Being able to control your garage door on the move is an excellent capability, but the “smart” part of your smart garage door device shouldn’t be limited to simply opening and closing the door (unless that’s the only feature you’re looking for).
Look for smart devices with robust companion apps that allow you to schedule the times of day your door moves, as well as who can control the garage door when you’re not home. It’s also a good idea to buy a smart garage gadget you can integrate with other smart home devices (like lights and thermostats) and ecosystem controls, including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.
Compatibility
If you don’t plan on replacing garage door hardware like belt and chain drives, the smart device you purchase must be compatible with your garage door’s existing motor and assembly. You’ll also want to make sure your new smart gadget works with whatever kind of garage door you’ve got, whether that be a single or double-door setup.
How secure are garage door remotes and controls?
Modern smart gadgets — whether it’s garage door remotes/controls, baby monitors, or video doorbells — have an Achilles heel, and that’s your internet. All three of the aforementioned products have fallen victim to internet-based malicious activity. There are also instances where personal details could be made vulnerable through the use of a smart device.
Be sure to study up on a brand’s reputation, read their terms regarding data sharing and privacy thoroughly, and consider taking steps to boost your internet’s security before you decide.
Choosing the best smart garage door remote or control
Smart garage door devices can be purchased through popular retailers like Amazon, Home Depot, and Lowe’s, but as our list illustrates, not all of these gadgets will check every box. As such, we think most folks will be more than satisfied with our best overall pick, the meross Smart Garage Door Opener Remote, which you can use to open and close your door via the meross companion app or with Alexa and Samsung SmartThings. It’s also easy to install and works with many different garage door opener brands.
Should you decide to splurge on your garage door purchase, we recommend going with our premium pick, the Tailwind IQ3. Thanks to geofencing capabilities, this garage door device automatically raises the door when you return home. Alexa, HomeKit, SmartThings, Google, and IFTTT integrations are all possible with this model, too. And at $90, you still won’t have to break the bank to get one of the best garage door devices on the market.
For those shopping on a budget, our best value pick is the eKyro Smart Garage Door Opener Controller. The included universal adapter works with most garage door opener tech, and you’ll even be able to control lifting and lowering via the eKyro app or with a smart assistant like Alexa or Siri!
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